#ThisDayInMusic we are paying homage to the late musician Ray Charles.

So join us as we commemorate Ray Charles who passed away at the age of 73 ten years ago #ThisDayInMusic. He may have lost his eyesight at the tender age of seven, but that didn’t stop Ray Charles from carving a name for himself in the music industry. Denoted as one of the 100 Greatest Artists Of All Time by Rolling Stone, Ray Charles is best remembered for ‘Georgia On My Mind’ and ‘Hit The Road Jack.’ He has collected several Grammy Awards over a career spanning five decades, eight of which were bestowed on him for his final album, Genius Loves Company. The singer-songwriter however tragically lost the battle to liver cancer in 2004.

Here’s a look at what his contemporaries had to say about him:

“The only true genius in show business." – Frank Sinatra

“This may sound like sacrilege, but I think Ray Charles was more important than Elvis Presley.” – Billy Joel